Pennsylvania Social Security Disability

Each year, the Social Security Administration receives millions of applications for Social Security Disability benefits. In the State of Pennsylvania, there are approximately 374,000 individuals receiving monthly disability benefit payments from the Social Security Administration. This year, thousands more will apply for disability benefits in Pennsylvania alone. Unfortunately, more than sixty percent of Pennsylvania Social Security Disability applications are denied by the Social Security Administration. These applicants must then pursue the lengthy and complicated appeal process in order to obtain the disability benefits they may be entitled to.

The first stage of appeal for Social Security Disability benefits is called the Request for Reconsideration. Nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvania Social Security Disability applicants are also denied at the reconsideration stage of the appeal process. The good news is that nearly two-thirds of applicants who pursue the next stage of appeals, which is a disability hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, are eventually awarded Social Security Disability benefits.

It takes Pennsylvania Social Security Disability applicants anywhere from 267 to 477 days to obtain a hearing before an ALJ. Once the hearing has been conducted, it takes another 45 to 90 days to receive the judge's decision regarding your disability claim. This means that many Pennsylvania Social Security Disability applicants wait well over a year before being approved for the disability benefits they need.

The Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, frequently referred to as ODAR, is the Social Security office that is responsible for the management of Social Security Disability hearings. The area of Pennsylvania that you live in determines which Pennsylvania ODAR office processes your disability hearing and also determines how long you will have to wait to obtain a disability hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. The places in which the Pennsylvania ODAR offices are located and the areas they serve are as follows:

• Charlottesville, Virginia

The Charlottesville ODAR office located in Virginia processes the Social Security Disability hearings for the Altoona and State College Social Security field offices in Pennsylvania. It takes this office an average of nine months to schedule a Social Security Disability hearing.

• Elkins Park, Pennsylvania

The Elkins Park ODAR office handles the disability hearings for the Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Fairless Hills, Jenkintown, Limerick and Northeast Philadelphia Social Security field offices. It takes this office an average of 267 days to schedule a disability hearing.

• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The Harrisburg ODAR office serves the Carlisle, Chambersburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lewistown and York Social Security field offices. The average processing time for this office is 342 days.

• Johnstown, Pennsylvania

The Johnstown ODAR office services the DuBois, Greensburg, Indiana, Johnstown, Kittanning and Somerset Social Security field offices. It takes this office an average of 477 days to schedule a disability hearing for Pennsylvania Social Security Disability applicants.

• Morgantown, West Virginia

The Morgantown ODAR office located in the State of West Virginia schedules the disability hearings for the Uniontown Social Security field office in Pennsylvania. The average processing time for this office is fourteen months.

• Norfolk, Virginia

The Norfolk ODAR office located in the State of Virginia handles the disability hearings for the Social Security field office located in Meadville, Pennsylvania. It takes this office an average of ten months to schedule a disability hearing.

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia ODAR office serves the Norristown, Philadelphia (Downtown), Philadelphia (Kensington), Philadelphia (South), Philadelphia (West), Philadelphia (Woodland) and West Chester Social Security field offices. It takes this office an average of 386 days to schedule a disability hearing.

• Philadelphia (East), Pennsylvania

The East Philadelphia ODAR office serves the Chester, Philadelphia (Germantown), Philadelphia (Nicetown), Philadelphia (North Central) and Upper Darby Social Security field offices. It takes this office an average of 353 days to schedule a disability hearing.

• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Pittsburgh ODAR office services the McKeesport, Monroeville, Pittsburgh (Downtown), Pittsburgh East, Pittsburgh Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh North, Pittsburgh Northside, Rostraver and Washington Social Security field offices. It takes this office an average of 444 days to schedule a disability hearing.

• Richmond, Virginia

The Richmond ODAR office located in the State of Virginia schedules the Social Security Disability hearings for the Reading Social Security field office in Pennsylvania. It takes this office an average of ten months to schedule a disability hearing for Pennsylvania Social Security Disability applicants.

• Seven Fields, Pennsylvania

The Seven Fields ODAR office serves the Ambridge, Beaver Falls, Butler, Cranberry (formerly Oil City), Erie, Hermitage, New Castle and New Kensington Social Security field offices. The average processing time for this office is 476 days.

• Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

The Wilkes-Barre ODAR office serves the Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg, Hazleton, Pottsville, Scranton, Selinsgrove, Towanda, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport Social Security field offices. It takes this office an average of 400 days to schedule a disability hearing.

Hiring a Pennsylvania Social Security Disability Attorney

If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits in the State of Pennsylvania, you should do everything you can to be approved for benefits during the initial stage of the application process. If your disability application is approved during the initial application stage, you can avoid the lengthy disability appeal process. Hiring a Pennsylvania Social Security Disability attorney may increase your chances of obtaining an approval of your initial disability claim.

When you retain the services of a qualified Pennsylvania Social Security Disability lawyer, the professional you hire will work with you to gather the necessary medical evidence and will help you present your application in the best light possible to the Social Security Administration. This will increase your chances of obtaining a favorable decision regarding your initial claim for disability benefits. If your initial application for benefits is denied, your Pennsylvania Social Security Disability attorney can represent you in your disability appeal.

While you may have to wait a year or more to obtain a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, the good news is that nearly two-thirds of disability applicants are awarded benefits as a result of their disability hearing. Statistics show that your chances of winning atbthis stage of the appeal process is significantly greater with proper legal representation.

If you would like to learn more about hiring a Pennsylvania Social Security Disability lawyer, click here to receive a free evaluation of your Pennsylvania Social Security Disability case.